


Heroic Bonds

by ChapterBiChapter (ConnorsWritingSux)



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Angst, Angst and Humor, Caring Logic | Logan Sanders, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Minor Character Death, Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, Morality | Patton Sanders is a Good Friend, Parent Logic | Logan Sanders, Platonic Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Logic | Logan Sanders, Protective Morality | Patton Sanders, Romantic Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Superheroes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2020-02-28 09:30:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18753673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConnorsWritingSux/pseuds/ChapterBiChapter
Summary: Virgil Amdula is a hero. By day, he’s Deluge, Amaris City's lone protector, and on most weeknights, he's Virge, an employee of his local Crest grocery store. It's not much, but fighting crime and saving people in distress doesn't pay the bills.  Every hero has their foil though, and Virgil goes by the name Invictus, a self-righteous prick that forced Virge's fellow hero and friend, Viceroy, to flee the city. It's not easy being him, but it's life.Follow Virgil as he maneuvers through life whilst keeping his secret identity hidden from his overprotective father and the general public, tries not to die/lose to Invictus while protecting the city from him and other minor evildoers, attempts to balance work and school, and have a love life.All while trying to remember that the best bonds are formed not in steel, but in bravery.IN PROCESS OF REWRITING





	1. A Day In The Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank god for Patton.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo, I started a new fic. I hope it's enjoyable to y'all.

Deluge collapsed right as he entered his secret hideout. It hadn’t been a very good day and the hero winced as he pulled his hand away from his side, seeing that the indigo leather glove was stained red. Damn, it was only 10:30 in the morning and he had already gotten injured. His best friend hurried over, fussing madly as he pulled the superhero over to the couch and sat him down.

“You can’t keep getting hurt like this,” Patton said sternly, the medical student staring at the hero over the rim of his glasses. Deluge snorted quietly, knowing that they both knew he’d never stop until he was dead. Pat began cutting through yet another suit (the third that month) and Deluge whined when the peroxide hit the cuts, cleaning them thoroughly but hurting like a bitch in the process.

“Oh hush now. If you stopped going out there and fighting those villains, I wouldn’t have to do this.” There was no humor. None of the usual kindness or warmth in Patton’s voice and for a bit, Deluge felt regret for putting his friend, his _civilian_ friend, through so much shit. Patton had made the decision to keep him as a roommate though, and only really complained when he came home hurt. The hero frowned beneath his mask, grumbling when Patton motioned for him to remove it.

Once the mask was off, Virgil Amdula sat in Deluge’s place, feeling thoroughly cowed by the glare Patton directed at him. It was just like being scolded by his dad, except far worse. The man lived over five thousand miles away and couldn’t reach over and smack him on the back of the head when he did something absolutely idiotic. Patton, however, could and often did, claiming that it was from himself and Virgil’s dad. The cold, aloof man had adopted the ray of sunshine that was Patton from the first time they’d met, and the two conspired to keep their smartass in line and away from life-or-death situations. The latter of which Patton was unable to due thanks to Virgil’s “day job”.

“Pat,” he sighed wearily, wincing as the medical student pressed harder on a particularly deep wound, “It was only Invictus this time.”

Patton stared at him, shellshocked and more than a little pissed. “ _Invictus?_ You fought _him_ while you were injured?”

Wincing at the tone in Patton’s voice, Virgil looked away and nodded. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand and appreciate the concern, but Pat was going a little far. Silence fell over the apartment as Patton finished bandaging him up, leaning back against the couch once he was done, allowing Virgil to lightly test the constraints of the bandages. Their interactions had been similar over the last month and often ended in light quarrels over Virgil’s safety. The young hero wondered if it would be any different this time.

A hand touched his and the Virgil turned to his best friend again, guilt eating at his heart when he noticed the tears in those grey eyes. “Virge, please… You can’t keep doing this. I can’t lose you. I know that you and Viceroy worked together to fight him but-”

Virgil snatched his hand away, glaring at the other man at the mention of _that_ name. “Don’t,” he hissed, standing to his feet, “don’t you ever mention them again, Patton!”

Patton tried to say something else, likely an apology for reopening old wounds, but Virgil ignored him. Turning on his heel, the hero didn’t spare his friend a glance before disappearing into his room and locking the door with an audible click.

* * *

Virgil held in his emotions until his music was on, suffocating everything out with the strength of the singer’s voice. Unlike his typical appearance when assuming his civilian persona, Virge enjoyed softer, sweeter musicians like Hozier. That hadn’t always been the case, though. He had Viceroy to thank for his love of softer music.

_Oof._

Virgil was suddenly hit with images of his old friend and fellow hero. It had taken him so long to come around to their strange persona and looking back, the young man regretted being so suspicious of them. Viceroy had been nothing if not accepting of his anxieties and after sharing a few of their own fears with him, the two became nearly inseparable. They’d been the superpowered power couple of their city for three years before the unimaginable happened.

All he could remember of that day was Viceroy’s smiling face, the way their brown eyes sparkled and shone gold when the setting sun’s rays hit them, and the look of panic when they couldn’t hear him screaming. It was a rough time for him but even rougher for Vice and if Virgil had the ability to go back in time, he’d make it so that Viceroy was still with him.

It was a selfish wish but he was a hero. Selflessness didn’t always equal happiness. He and his companion learned that the hard way when the public discovered Viceroy was not a traditionally able-bodied hero. It had only taken one word from their shared nemesis, Invictus, to ruin Vice’s life as a hero and eventually, they fell off the grid. If their citizens weren’t going to accept them the way they were, Vice wouldn’t suffer the scrutiny whilst trying to protect them the way they’d been doing for years.

The only problem was that Vice never contacted Virgil again, which honestly hurt more than any of Invictus’ attacks ever could. _That_ was a selfish move but he understood why they did what they did. They needed a break from the stress of being a hero, but it still stung because he was left to protect their city, _his_ city, alone. All those days of fighting side by side and the nights of looking up at stars and sharing insecurities were gone. Patton was the only one who knew that the young hero had developed deep affection towards his fellow hero but Virgil was pretty sure Vice had known that too. It was evident in their body language and how kind and considerate they were towards Virgil. So, he assumed they liked him too.

“Guess I was fuckin’ wrong,” he said bitterly, wiping away tears that had fallen when he thought back to those nights.

Curling up on his bed, hugging a pillow to his chest, Virgil drifted off the sleep, mind replaying each memory of Viceroy until he knew no more.

* * *

 “Virge? Are you awake?” Came the muffled voice outside the hero’s bedroom door.

The man in question grumbled as he came back to full consciousness, sitting up halfway. Glaring at the door through his dyed purple bangs, Virgil responded in a sleep-roughened voice. “Wha’ dya want, Pat?”

“Well…” the voice trailed off and Virgil waited a good minute for Patton to continue and when the man didn’t, he climbed out of bed and wrenched the door open.

Patton stumbled in Virgil’s chest before backing up with a flustered smile. “Sorry, Virge! I was just trying to make sure you were up in time for work!”

That made Virgil blink in surprise as he whipped his head around to look at his bedside clock.

“Oh my _god_.” Virgil looked at Patton’s sweet face before retreating back into his room.

“Sorry, Pat, but I gotta take a shower and get dressed and make dinner and catch the bus before I’m too late because if I’m late then McIver is gonna fire me-holy fuck-I mean holy heck I gotta go!” He practically yelled to his friend as he pulled on a pair of black jeans that looked clean enough.

Patton laughed at him and Virgil stopped running around frantically, raising an eyebrow in question. His best friend grinned and spoke, “It’s only 7:45 pm, Virge. You don’t have to be at work until nine tonight. Plus,” he stopped, grinning even wider if possible as he clapped his hands excitedly, “I made your favorite!”

Virgil let out a sigh of relief, shoulders slumping as the tension left his body. Then, he looked up at his friend through his lashes, a tiny smile on his face as he asked, “Patton-cakes?”

“You got that right, kiddo! You and I have a date with deliciousness!”

And, just as he’d done the past 4 years the two lived together, Patton dragged a compliant Virgil into their tiny living room for a nutritious dinner of Patton-cakes.

* * *

 The closeness of their relationship was something Virgil wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. Seeing Patton smiling- just seeing _Patton_ was enough to put Virgil in a good mood. As he leaned on the other man’s shoulder after they finished dinner, Virgil smiled and pulled Patton into an impromptu hug, squeezing him gently. Pat giggled and reciprocated happily, planting a kiss on top of Virgil’s head.

“Love you, Pat,” Virgil mumbled, safe and content inside the man’s strong arms.

There was a suspicious sniffle from right above his head but Virgil didn’t bother investigating, knowing how rare it was for him to say those words without being prompted first. Patton squeezed him tighter before loosening the embrace in case Virge wanted to wiggle away.

“I love you too, Virge! I love you so so _so_ much!” Patton exclaimed, scratching the hero’s head gently, cooing as Virgil melted into a puddle of contentedness.

Humming to himself, Virgil blinked sleepily before checking the time on the clock hanging behind the television set. It read: 8:30.

Fuck.

Groaning to himself, Virgil readied himself to run to work just like he had the past five days. Patton’s hand stopped in his hair and the man questioned him about the issue, frowning as he read the clock. “Well, I could always drive you there, Virge.”

“I know, I just,” he paused, not wanting to say the words that demanded to be spoken.

“You just what, honey?” Pat prompted in the kind, fatherly voice he adopted whenever Virgil needed a little push.

Whining in the back of his throat, Virgil sat up and pressed his face into Pat’s chest before talking again. “Dun wanna be a burden.”

Whether it wasn’t as muffled as Virge expected or Pat simply had amazing hearing from years of being around Virgil and working as a teacher, the man caught the words and pulled his monochromatically clothed flatmate into another embrace. “Virgil Atlas Amdula, you are never a burden to me! I promise you that right now, okay?”

Nodding even if he didn’t believe the words entirely, Virgil allowed himself to be driven to work that night, making it with ten minutes to spare. Waving goodbye to his best friend, the young man entered the store and prepared for another boring night shift in the Crest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is always super appreciated! Next chapter should be written and posted within a week or so.


	2. Building and Breaking Bridges

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil is a gay, gay little man who bites off more than he can chew, giving Pat 20 new gray hairs in the process.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've risen from the dead, y'all. Enjoy this.

It took three hours of waiting at the register before something finally happened in the damn store and when it did, Virgil had to hold back a happy yell. He still had an image to maintain, besides, there were cameras everywhere.

Virgil’s coworker for the night, Dane, switched off with him and the hero practically skipped away from that part of the store. Heading into the back to grab the checklist for inventory, flipping a coin to decide if he should start at aisle one or fifty, the closest one to employees only area. Luckily for him, he started at fifty and began working his way down, marking off items that needed to be restocked, were overstocked on shelves, or were to be replaced. Menial work but it was better than just standing at a register with nothing to do.

At aisle 32, the one with preserves and other sauces, he encountered another person who stood staring at what looked to be jars of jelly. Virge simply shrugged and made his way down the aisle, taking his sweet time. Once he reached the person staring at the jelly, he realized _why_ they were staring.

“Oh,” he started nonchalantly, ignoring the way their brown eyes made his heart ache, “I guess Dane didn’t restock the Crofters.”

The person stared at him for a minute more, eyes narrowing as they focused on his lips before lighting up when he said Crofters. Then, they spoke. “Oh! Do you have more? I was merely standing here staring at the empty space because I assumed you were out completely.”

And then they smiled. No, not smiled, _beamed_ at him like a goddamn personified ray of sunshine.

“Jesus…” he muttered under his breath.

“Roman, actually.”

“Wh-what?” Virgil was confused and blinked at them whilst trying to understand what the Croftersless customer meant.

“My name, dear Crest worker! I am Roman Flores-García!” They continued to beam at him, their voice somewhat scratchy but not at all unpleasant to his ears.

Feeling generous, Virgil’s lips quirked up into an indulgent smile before he introduced himself to Roman. “Virgil Amdula, your typical angsty Crest creature.”

Roman laughed a little and rolled their eyes. “You look very human to me.”

“Oh, believe me, it’s only because I’m nocturnal,” he said teasingly. Roman saddled up near him and smirked.

“I’d love to see the diurnal side of you one day.”

Virge’s heart skipped a beat and they looked up into Roman’s eyes. “Did you just..?”

“Yup,” they said with a smug smirk, popping the ‘p’.

“Wooo boy,” he fumbled, feeling the anxiety beginning to make up for that small bout of freedom he’d had from it whilst talking to Roman. “I gotta uh, get your jamly, I mean jally, er, Crofters! Yeah,” he laughed nervously as he backed away from the confused customer.

Nearing the end of the aisle, Virgil motioned for Roman to stay where they were before turning tail and booking it to the storage area. Once there, he leaned against the grey concrete wall, clutching his side. Running hadn’t been his smartest decision.

Eyes widening when he pulled his hand away from his side, Virge noticed he was wearing a black shirt and sighed deeply in relief. As long as he avoided any more strenuous activities, he could heal in time for his next run of protecting the city from Invictus and other less dangerous villains. Pat wouldn’t be happy, would probably be pissed with the hero injuring himself further, but Virge knew the medical student would forgive him. Eventually.

Taking a good minute to locate a box of assorted Crofters for Roman, Virgil made his way back to the jelly aisle, glad to see they stayed there. Opening and setting the box on the ground, wincing in pain as it aggravated his wounds, the hero allowed Roman to grab as many jars as he wanted before beginning the tedious process of restocking the shelves by the flavor of jelly. It was at times like those where Virge was so used to be allowed that he zoned out for the next five minutes. A hand on his shoulder broke Virgil’s concentration and he noticed the box of Crofters was empty.

“Oh, thank you, Roman. Anyway, I should get back to work, have a good night and drive safe,” Virgil said quietly, gathering the inventory clipboard and empty box. Roman snatched the clipboard and began writing something on the papers before handing it back with a little smile.

“Adiós, my nocturnal friend.” They quipped as they walked towards the checkout area, sparing the lovestruck hero one last smile before they rounded the corner.

“Adiós,” he whispered to himself, glancing down at the clipboard to see Roman’s number written there with a cute little heart next to it. Unable to help it, Virgil felt the smile bloom and finished his nightly duties with a smile, one that remained even as Patton picked him up at eight the next morning.

* * *

 Unluckily for him, Patton saw the smile and immediately began interrogating him. Teasing and prodding the hero for answers, Patton nearly missed the scene of destruction right before him. Virgil’s eyes widened as he noticed the wreckage before them and screamed “STOP” to Patton who, when he finally turned back around and saw it, did exactly that, slamming his foot down on the brakes. The car screeched to a halt mere feet away from the rumble of the overpass that once operated as a highway.

“Hooh-holy fuck,” Virgil said in awe even as dread seeped into every pore of his body. Something big had happened while he was working, and it screamed of Invictus’ work. And, just as he was getting ready to get out of the car despite Patton’s protest, he heard _his_ voice.

Then, he saw the villain.

Standing on one of the last pieces of the bridge, Virgil-no, Deluge’s nemesis watched, the satisfaction radiating from the byzantium cloaked figure. Seeing the smug man seemingly waiting to be confronted filled Virgil with something he’d been feeling a lot of lately, hatred. That was what finally pushed the young man to get out of the car and pushed him to yell at the villain. Right after he did that, Virgil slapped his hands over his mouth, remembering that he wasn’t Deluge at the moment.

 _Oh God, I’m gonna die today!_  He thought when the villain made his way to where he stood near Patton’s car. _Wait_ …

_Patton!_

Virgil turned to where Patton sat in the car, seemingly frozen in fear. Virgil mouthed an apology to his frightened best friend before turning back to where he last saw Invictus. The supervillain cut an intimidating image as he stalked towards the frightened hero-in-disguise, focused intently on his prey as he crossed the rubble covered ground without fear, glass crunching beneath the soles of his heavy boots. If Virgil wasn’t so afraid of dying at the hands of the villain, he might’ve admired how well put-together the man always was.

Too soon for his liking though, Invictus reached him. Standing just a foot away from Virgil, the cruel figure looked down at the mouthy civilian. Virgil looked up into the barely visible eyes behind the mask and noticed what looked to be amusement there. God, he really fucked up this time.

“Such impertinence,” the villain said, sounding intrigued and more than a little amused. “A mere teenager such as yourself has the ability to confront me when no adult can. Absolutely interesting.”

Invictus spoke reverently, leaning forward into Virgil’s space to the point where the young man was forced to lean back lest their faces touch. That was the point where Virgil realized that the villain was hovering. His eyes widened in surprise and Virgil acted without thinking, pushing his nemesis away.

There was a chuckle from Invictus and Virgil stood up straight again, glad to see the villain had moved a good two feet further from him. “Curious. Child, have you ever entertained the idea of becoming one of us?”

Virgil was confused and backed away until he tripped over a piece of uneven ground and fell with a yelp. A sharp pain coursed through him and Virgil lifted his hand from the ground to see that his palm had been sliced open on a piece of glass. Hissing in pain, the sound of glass crunching growing louder alerted him to the approaching figure. A hand appeared in Virgil’s field of view and the young hero looked up to see his nemesis standing there, extending the metaphorical olive branch.

“You lack grace, young man. If you allow me to, I will teach you everything I know.” The villain told him in an irritatingly condescending tone. Then, another person joined the fray.

“Honey, no!” It was Patton.

Hearing the voice, Virgil turned his head to see his best friend had finally gotten out of his car and was standing near the open car door, looking worse for wear. For the second time in a twenty-four hour period, guilt ate at Virgil’s insides for putting Pat through so much.

“And who might you be, young man?” Invictus asked though obviously uninterested if his tone of voice was anything to go by. Patton didn’t answer but used a strength Virgil didn’t realize the med student had to pull Virge up and behind him. Virgil leaned his head against his larger friend’s back, suddenly feeling more tired than ever before. He was safe with Patton, he’d be okay.

Invictus merely hmmed at the boldness the blond showed, seemingly done tormenting the two college students. “Rest assured, little hero, I will not forget your face, and I _will_ be in touch.” The man emphasized his words carefully but the message was clear: Virgil would need to watch his back as a civilian from now on.

With that, Invictus took off, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

* * *

As soon as they were sure he was gone, the two friends relaxed and returned to the car, taking the long route back to their apartment in total silence. And once safely inside their apartment, Patton silently pulled Virgil into a tight embrace.

At first, he was confused by it but then Patton started trembling in his arms and Virgil understood. Calmly wrapping his arms around the man as far as he could, Virge held his friend close, the sounds of muffled sobs breaking his heart each time. Rubbing Pat’s back with gentle hands, he felt a few tears of his own begin to fall. Whether the adrenaline from earlier had finally run out once they made it back to the apartment or it was the stress of everything finally reaching him, Virgil couldn’t stop himself from breaking down. Though he was always prepared to die as Deluge, seeing as how that was part of the job, confronting Invictus as a civilian had been that cruel reminder that, beneath his mask and suit, Virgil was just a kid playing dress-up.

Heroes were graceful. They knew what they were doing and why they did it. They fought villains because they hurt civilians and ruined lives without care. Heroes were kind and genuine, and larger than life. Virgil was none of those, that much he knew.

“..Virge?” Patton mumbled with a soft sniffle.

“Yeah, Pat?”

“Please never do that again. I think- I know I would be so upset if you got yourself hurt badly. Me and your dad.”

Virgil paused for a moment, his hand freezing too until he remembered to continue moving it. Could he really lie to Pat about staying safe? Would Patton know it was a lie? After all, they both knew Virgil would never willingly give up his job as the city’s protector, not until Invictus had given up tormenting the citizens. Still, his friend deserved some peace of mind.

“Okay Pat,” he sighed, squeezing his friend around the middle before releasing his hold. “I won’t confront that smug douche as a civilian again.”

Sighing softly, Patton released Virgil from the embrace and gave him a watery smile. “Thank you.”

Nodding, the hero headed towards his bedroom door, ready to nap before he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. Turning back, he saw Patton’s smile had become a bit more playful and a part of his mind screamed for him to run away fast.

“I need to clean that cut on your hand and make sure you didn’t aggravate the older injuries. Besides, you never told me why you were smiling!” Patton said in a sing-song voice, using his hand to direct the whining hero to the couch.

Staring up at the ceiling, Virgil prayed that the torture wouldn’t last too long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully, this was enjoyable to you all. Comments are appreciated, kudos, and general interaction from readers is something I adore. Other than that, next chapter in a week or so. Buh-bye.


	3. Date Gone Wrong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pat acts weird, Virgil goes on a date, and the date goes south really quick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haaaaa, this has been written for a while, I've just been busy with work. Anyway, here it is and I hope you like it!

Virgil was lucky in the fact that once Patton found out he was smiling about a cute customer, the med student stopped interrogating him. He was more than a little concerned when the man excused himself from the room right after that, however, but stayed put on the couch, not wanting to irritate his friend anymore for the day. After all, if Patton was upset with him, he’d tell Virge eventually. The young hero still endeavored to be a good friend and patient to his best friend for the rest of the day, not bitching at all when the man came back and began pulling little fragments of glass from the wound in his hand.

Sure, Pat was being a little rougher than before but it was nothing that Virge couldn’t handle.

After his hand was cleaned and bandaged, he removed his work shirt with no prompting from Patton and looked down at the floor, bracing himself for the scolding he was sure to get, shoulders hunching forward subconsciously. A warm hand pressed itself firmly against Virgil’s bicep and he glanced up at Patton’s stern but kind expression.

“Virge, remember that you don’t have the superhuman healing of some of the others, okay? We talked about not overextending your body’s abilities. I don’t-”

Virgil cut Patton off and finished the sentence for him, “You don’t want to lose me. I know, I know.”

There was a pause and the hand was removed, leaving a cold spot in its wake. Taking a moment to really look at his flatmate, the hero was surprised to see hurt had overtaken Pat’s face. Furrowing his brows, Virge tried to find out where exactly he’d crossed a line, wincing softly when he realized.

“Pat, I…” he trailed off, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck, “I’m sorry for cutting you off when you were talking. It was rude, and you deserve better, so yeah…”

His friend shrugged and smiled at him, letting him know that Pat wasn’t too upset with him for it. There was no verbal response though, and that in itself was punishment enough for hurting his best friend. He stayed still and allowed the man to do his work in peace, admonishing the small side of him that was upset that Patton hadn’t immediately forgiven him as there had been a point in their relationship where Patton wouldn’t tell him where or when he went wrong. That had caused resentment in their relationship that took time and multiple long, open-hearted discussions to resolve. It had been a learning curve for the hero, but he tried his best to be mindful of his words and actions while Patton did the same for him.

Once finished bandaging Virgil completely, Patton left the room without another word, going into his own bedroom to be alone for a while. That meant that Virgil was left alone and unsupervised. Yeah, he could just go mope in his room until it was time for his next shift, staying away from crimes until he really had healed up _buuut_ that would leave the city defenseless against Invictus’ charm and destructive power.

Sighing to himself, Virge let his head fall back to rest on the top of the couch, staring up at the ceiling blankly. “Decisions, decisions,” he muttered to himself.

He continued to think about it as he laid down on the couch, frowning when he heard the crumple of paper beneath him. Picking it up, he examined it, blushing and smiling like a fool in love when he read it. It was the little scrap of paper that Roman had written on the earlier that morning. It was so dumb but for Virgil, it was the cutest damn thing in the world.

(Nightmare on Aisle 23) Virgil,

Here’s my number X1X-X32-X95X.  I wasn’t kidding when I said I wanted to see you during the day. Maybe a date is in order?

p.s.→ did you know virgil was a roman poet?

Musing to himself on whether or not he should try and hang out with them, Virgil bit the bullet and sent a message before he could delete it.

To X1X-X32-X95X at 11:56am

\-- hey, if youre not busy for lunch, im free

* * *

Checking his phone for the third time since he’d sat down in the little cafe Roman recommended they have lunch in, Virgil returned to people watching. With each person that passed by, he wondered if they were Invictus or if any of them may even be Viceroy. That would be the reunion of the century. Then again, they’d never shared details about their civilian lives so if the person was dedicated enough, they could lure him out by pretending to be his old partner.

Shaking off that nasty thought, he spotted Roman making their way through the crowd. They locked eyes and he couldn’t help but smile when they waved excitedly. If he had to be honest, they somewhat reminded him of a younger Patton. Maybe that was why he was so drawn to them so fast. Pat and Roman were the north pole side of a magnet to Virgil’s own south pole of a magnet, and there was no way to avoid either of them.  Not that he really wanted to.

Tracking his potential friend as they walked in, Virge raised his hand and waved them over. They beelined to him and sat across from him with a bright smile on their face.

“I didn’t expect to see you again so soon, Virgil! Did you hear about the Daison overpass? Apparently, Invictus was trying to lure Deluge out into the open!” Roman babbled excitedly, gesturing wildly as they did so.

“Yeah, Pat and I ended up right near that self-righteous dickbag because neither of us knew he blew the damn thing to smithereens,” Virgil grumbled in response, smiling reassuringly when his companion’s spark seemed to dim at his words.

Returning the smile and perking back up, they waved a waiter over. “Virgil, enough about that guy. You look like you haven’t eaten anything today. Order whatever you want, it’s my treat.”

Flattered by the offer but also panicked because he’d spent all his time fretting over Roman standing him up instead of looking at the menu, Virge scrambled to pick something off the menu before the waiter got to their table. His eyes scanned the laminated paper, locking on the Caprese salad out of everything else. It was cheap, tasty, and definitely wouldn’t kill him.

The waiter came over with a bored, almost annoyed expression and the two ordered their food and drinks. Once the server had taken their orders and moved to help other people, Roman went back to talking, regaling Virgil with stories of their travels across the globe. Visiting Tel Aviv in the midst of their growth as a technologically advanced city, seeing the Michelangelo’s David and the art of Florence, and the small villages of rural China. With each tale, Virge found himself becoming more and more invested in his new friend.

Resting his head on the top of his hand, he watched Roman with a little smile. There was something magical about the animated person sitting across from him. Yet again, he was reminded of his best friend but Patton didn’t act the same way anymore; he hadn’t since starting med school. Not since Virgil had…

 _no, I’m not thinking about that now. Roman’s here and they’re adorable and fun and kind_. Virge told himself as he tried to focus back on the person in front of him. It was the least they deserved.

“Virgil, the food’s arrived,” Roman said, amused.

Perking up somewhat, Virgil looked down at the table to see that they were indeed correct. His Caprese salad looked amazing and so did Roman’s...whatever it was.

“I see why you wanted us to come here,” he said more than a little awestruck.

Trying and failing to hide their laughter, Roman chewed the bite of food they had in their mouth before responding. “You might want to try your food first before you say that, dearest.”

His heart fluttered like a hummingbird’s wings at the little pet name and he tried not to look too deeply into why Roman called him dearest when the sound of screams reached his ears. The fork in his hand dropped as his head whipped to look out the window, slightly afraid of what exactly he’d see.

* * *

 At first, there was nothing. Then, he saw why the people screamed.

There, in the middle of the road, Invictus stood, hands glowing an ominous grey. Virgil heard Roman say something but it all sounded like static to his ears. Before he even knew it, the young man was out of his seat and halfway to the door. A hand grabbed his and he was pulled back and away from the door by Roman who shook their head.

“You can’t go out there, Virgil. That-that monster would hurt you! Please, just stay here, okay?” They pleaded, holding his hand close to their chest.

 _Oh, Roman_ , the hero thought to himself, _if only you knew who I am._ Externally though, he agreed, blushing a bit when they pressed a happy kiss to the back of his hand. The two moved with the crowd of people as they surged towards the back entrance, and try as they might, Roman and Virgil were eventually separated by the crowd.

“Roman!” he yelled, trying to push through the frantic civilians to find out where his friend had gone. None of the people move and he was soon overtaken by even more civilians rushing his way. They pushed and shoved and within moments, Virge was on his hands and knees in the street, away from the congested sidewalk. Doing his best to catch his breath, the young man struggled to at least sit up enough to see what was going on around him.

“You poor thing, that fall looked painful.” Said a familiar condescending voice from the middle of the street.

Shakily standing to his feet, Virge swayed in an intangible breeze as he locked gazes with the supervillain whose attention was fully on him. _Don’t talk to him, stay quiet, stay alive. Patton needs you alive, you can’t die now. If you die, you’ll never see Patton’s face again. You’ll never see Roman again. Don’t speak._

“Come now, little lion. Where has your spark gone?” The villain asked as he slowly began making his way to a grimacing Virgil.

“Leave the civilian alone, Invictus! Your quarrel is with me!”

That voice…

Invictus froze in place for a moment, seemingly shocked by how the tables had turned, but then he was back to himself within seconds. The villain and hero-in-disguise looked in the direction the newcomer’s voice came from. And there, in an improved suit and all of their warm-coded glory, was Viceroy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Questions, comments, kudos, concerns, and screams are all appreciated. Next chapter will be up...uh, at some point (probably next month around the 4th)


	4. Surprise Visits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anything needs to be tagged let me know, otherwise, please enjoy.

Virgil’s jaw dropped. “You… You’re back!”

Viceroy laughed, a pleasant, kind chuckle that made Virgil’s heart skip a beat the same way it used to. “I am, dear civilian. I apologize for disappearing so suddenly all those years ago. Did you miss me?”

Later, if asked about it, Virgil would deny the way he responded to them. He only said “Yes” but it was said with so much desperation that it sounded sentimental. Viceroy and Invictus looked at him for a moment, the hero raising a hand to their chest while the villain scoffed at him. 

“Absolutely pitiful, child. You waste your breath on this  _hero_ , but I am the one you should be worshipping.” Invictus spit the word ‘hero’ like it was nothing but the scum of the Earth and Virgil felt a little indignation rise up in defense of his fellow hero.

_Don’t._

Completely ignoring Viceroy, the villain turned his full attention on Virgil, right hand glowing grey yet again as he raised it to be level with Virge’s head. “Kneel before me and I will spare your pathetic life.”

Glaring daggers, the trembling man sneered. Like hell he’d kneel to an egotistical asshole. But as much as he wanted to verbalize his disgust at the mere thought of kneeling to Invictus, Virge knew it would only add fuel to the fire.

Luckily, Viceroy saw the imminent danger he was in and quickly formed five clones of Virgil rushed Invictus and proceeded to attack the villain. Seeing as how Invictus wasn’t prepared in the slightest, he quickly lost the battle and fled after landing a few hits on the clones. Once he was gone, the hero waved their hand in a sharp motion and the clones dissolved where they stood. The warm color clad hero then ran to Virgil’s side.

“Are you alright? Did he harm you at all,” they questioned, hovering by his side. 

Shaking his head, Virgil fell to his knees on the torn concrete road, the fear catching up to him at last. Viceroy hovered for a moment longer before flying away, leaving Virgil to sit in the street alone. 

* * *

 “Let me through!” A voice yelled from the crowd still gathered on the sidewalk, gossiping and simply staring and pointing fingers at Virgil. The stressed man lifted his head, spotting Roman physically moving the rude onlookers out of their way. 

“Ro,” he whispered. 

“Virgil!” they called, running to his side and helping his stand to his feet, allowing him to lean heavily on their side. “I’m so, so sorry, dearest. Those ridiculous people wouldn’t allow me to come find you!”

They scoffed as the two walked back towards the front of the cafe. From there, Roman assisted him all the way to their cherry red Mazda3. They even offered to buckle Virgil in but he declined, wanting to have some dignity left. He buckled the seatbelt and rested his head against the headrest, closing his eyes. The sound of the engine starting caused him to tense up but he relaxed once they were on the road. 

The drive was silent until it came time for Virgil to give Roman his address. There was something holding the man back from holding a conversation with them and he hoped his silence didn’t make them feel as though he was pissed off with them. Maybe he’d text them after he’d taken a nap. 

Yeah, he could do that. 

Eventually, the duo were there in front of the apartment complex. Roman sighed and looked at him with a weak smile, “Well, I hope that this wasn’t a terrible lunch.” 

“No, you were-it was...everything up to that prick showing up was amazing. Thank you, Roman. I’ll,” he paused, unbuckling his seatbelt and climbing out of the car, “I’ll text you later, okay?” 

Their smile grew, “Okay.” 

He shut the door and watched the car drive away, trying to crush the part of his brain that wished he’d kept them from leaving. It was too early to be crushing on them, right?

_Right?_

“Whatever,” Virge muttered to himself as he entered the building, trudging up the five flights of stairs to reach his and Patton’s apartment. He had to stop every ten stairs to catch his breath and allow the dark spots to fade from his vision, so it took far longer than if he’d just taken the stupid elevator. He wasn’t even sure why his body was acting like he hadn’t eaten until he realized that he really hadn’t eaten. 

Oops. 

Mourning the Caprese salad he didn’t get to eat, Virge made it to his apartment door, pausing at the sound of people chatting and laughing. Hm, maybe Patton was watching Parks and Rec again. That was the thing that made the most sense in his mind but Virge shrugged and unlocked the door, stepping in with a deep breath-turned-sigh. A sweet scent hit his nose and the hungry hero followed the smell right into the kitchen where some cookies sat cooling. 

“Damn, he must’ve just made them.” Virgil whispered before heading towards the source of the laughter.

“Hey, Pat. What’s up with the laughing, are you having a par…ty?” Two pairs of eyes looked at Virgil where he stood in the doorway. Both men pushed up their Warby Parkers as they stared at the frozen man, brown eyes narrowing at him before returning to relaxed and amused. 

Logan Cormac Amdula was an intimidating man, even while sitting down. His curly salt and pepper hair was shorter than the last time and he had a few more wrinkles than before but he looked as healthy as ever. The man’s dark skin glowed in the sunlight coming through the apartment windows and the older man’s brown eyes sparkled with intelligence and a hint of fondness. Then, he spoke, “Hello to you too, Virgil.” 

That broke the man out of his trance, and he shuffled sheepishly into the room and over to the armchair his father sat in. “Hi, dad,” He squeaked. 

The stoic man’s blank face broke into a small smile and he stood and wrapped the smaller man in a tight, comforting embrace. “I’ve missed you so, my little constellation.” Out the corner of his eye, Virgil could see Patton stifle a giggle and stuck his tongue out at him.

“Dad, noooooo! I’m not little anymore!” Groaning a little but hugging his dad back with as much vigor as he could while running on empty, Virgil savored the comfort his dad provided. It had been over five years since they’d seen one another and being able to hug the man after such a shit day was a dream come true. 

Logan rested his hands on Virgil’s shoulders and pulled away to look the younger man in the eyes, “You will always be my little constellation, young man. Now, what have you been up to? How are your courses going?”

Virgil shot Patton a panicked look that didn’t go unnoticed by his dad. 

“Virgil,” the man started, fatherly tone seeping in, “you need to go do your schoolwork.” 

The young man made to argue, not wanting to go when his dad was there in the flesh, but Logan silenced him with a stern look. “I will be here when you come back. Now go.” 

Muttering beneath his breath, Virge walked to his room, locked the door, stumbled to his bed, and collapsed upon it. As soon as he did, he was out cold. 

* * *

Hours later, the little hero finally woke up to the mournful sound of a familiar lullaby. Opening his eyes, Virgil could barely make out the figure of his father sitting beside him on the bed. There was a momentary lapse in the song as if Logan had forgotten a few of the words and Virge took that time to sit up somewhat, resting his weight on his elbows. 

“Oh! Did I wake you?” His dad sounded concerned and placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. 

“I don’t think so…” he mumbled still a bit sleepy. 

Humming to himself, the older man stood up and brushed imaginary dust from his clothes, a habit he’d had as long as Virgil could remember. A pause that lasted a minute. Then two minutes. 

Logan breathed deeply, shoulders rising and falling with the action. His son watched from the bed with concern in his eyes and more than a little anxiety coursing in his veins. There were many tells of an impending discussion between the family members, and that exaggerated breathing was one of them. 

“Dad? Are you okay?” Wincing as soon as the words left his mouth, Virge sat up fully in his bed, eyes watching Logan’s every move in the dark room once they finally adjusted to the lack of lighting there. 

“Patton told me of your recent problems...” the older man trailed off, something so unlike him that Virge immediately jumped to the worst conclusion possible. 

Feeling tears begin to form in his eyes thanks to what he perceived as a betrayal, Virgil tried to speak but was unable to hold back a pitiful whimper. It happened so fast that the young man hadn’t seen it coming and wasn’t able to respond until moments later, hiding his face in his hands. If he was lucky, maybe his dad wouldn’t disown him entirely. Was that likely? No, but it was the only hope he had left. 

Hands touched his shoulders, thumbs rubbing in little soothing circles on tensed muscles. Fearing the outcome but bracing for the worst, Virgil squeezed his eyes shut and balled his hands into his own shirt. As soon as Logan took his hands off his son’s shoulders, the young man flinched a little and clenched his jaw.  _He has a right to be frustrated, he has you for a son,_ his mind supplied before adding,  _Don’t be such a pansy, it’s your father._

“Oh Virgil, what have they done to you...” Logan whispered, voice soft and mournful. A large but gentle hand pressed itself to Virgil’s cheek and the young hero flinched before leaning into the touch happily, tears rolling onto his father’s skin. The other hand pressed against the other cheek and Virgil couldn’t help but sigh, trying his best to hold back an unwelcome wave of emotion flooding his body.

Sighing, Logan spoke, “What I was going to say is that Patton told me that you’ve been having a difficult time balancing work, school, and your mental health.” 

“Oh,” Virge whispered.

“Indeed, Virgil. Now, as your father, I want to preface that I may not always be around, but I love you and will do anything for you. Do you understand that?” 

Still crying a bit, Virge nodded. 

“However, I will not tolerate secrets or lies from you, young man. So, if you will kindly tell me why exactly you reacted as if I would dare harm you, I would appreciate it.” There was no room for arguing in Logan’s tone, and Virgil was unhappy with the lack of wiggle room in the soft command. There hadn’t been enough time to prepare a lie, meaning that it would have to be one of omission or deflection; the same kind of lies he’d been telling all his life.

 _Or_ he could just not tell him. 

“I…” He trailed off, taking a deep breath and trying to make himself sound as sincere as possible. It wasn’t all that hard considering how badly he wanted his dad to just leave well enough alone. “It was just my natural reaction, y’know? Wasn’t really scared of you hurting me.”

A hum. “I suppose that makes sense. However, if anyone dares harm you, tell me.” 

Virgil reached out his arms and wrapped them around his father, leaning forward until his face was pressed against the man’s torso. The hands on his cheeks moved to return the embrace, tightening into a secure hold. It was just like when Virgil was just a little kid needing his dad after a nightmare or a teen after a particularly terrible panic attack. Of course, there were a few differences now; Virgil had supernatural abilities and could easily kill a man. That didn’t mean he no longer needed his father’s comfort, though. In fact, he needed it now more than ever. 

“Thanks, dad,” he breathed out before inhaling a scent that was all Logan, cardamom, ink, and fire. 

Logan rested his chin atop his son’s head. “Of course, Virgil. I would figuratively and quite literally kill for you.” 

And for a second, Virgil believed his father would be able to stand up to Invictus. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure if this story is all that great, but thank you sincerely to everyone who's left kudos/bookmarked/subscribed to my lil project. It really helps to see that people enjoy this. 
> 
> Anyway, next chapter up whenever I can break away from work to edit what is written. Until then, take care of yourselves.


	5. Friends?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dad leaves, Pat's not happy, scary things happen, and seeds of doubt are watered.

The elder Amdula stayed for another day, just long enough for the father and son to have quality time together. Since Virgil wasn’t scheduled to work ‘til Thursday night, he was able to see his father off at the airport. It was a painful goodbye for the duo and Patton, the latter crying far more than the two-person-family combined. And, as he watched the plane take off towards his native Louisiana, Virgil felt the stress of the past few days finally begin to exit his body. As much as he loved his dad, the man was a lot to be around at times. Especially when Virgil was in some form of distress.

Patton drove them home still crying a bit but mostly babbling about how nice it was to see Logan again. Virgil had watched his best friend and his father interact whilst Logan visited and it was pretty adorable. Kinda reminded him of the way his dads had been when he was younger too.

“Pat,” he sighed, massaging his temples, “if you want to date my dad, you have to tell him. He’s kinda dense.”

His friend shot him a look and Virgil responded with a shit-eating grin. He’d teased Patton about having a crush on his dad ever since they were teenagers. They both knew it was just for fun as Pat had only expressed platonic interest in the elder man. Plus, Virgil’s dad saw Patton as another son rather than a potential romantic partner.

That didn’t mean it wasn’t funny to tease the shit out of Patton, though.

Sniffling quietly, Patton wiped the last of the tears from his eyes and turned the volume of the radio up a little higher. The two listened in slowly dawning horror as the radio jockey described their least favorite villain’s newest attack on the city.

“-And it seems that he’s taken over the main Amaris City Bank. We’ve heard that our Viceroy has returned from his vacation and has been sighted on his way to the bank at this moment. All we can hope is that Deluge will join him soon enough.”

Patton sighed but pulled off the highway and into an alleyway behind a shopping center, not looking Virgil in the eyes as he flashed him a smile that looked more fake than real. The hero opened his mouth to say something, to argue but stopped when the other man shook his head. It would have to wait for a while longer.

“Be safe. Come home to me,” Patton whispered as Deluge exited the car, clothes fading beneath the cooling, near water-like material of the suit. The suit then hardened around his body but before Patton drove away, the hero responded.

“I promise I’ll come home. Wait for me,” he said, then after a moment, added, “Please.”

He waved a hand over his face, sighing at the familiar feeling of the mask forming on his face. Deluge then took off towards the bank, using short bursts of water to accelerate his speed when necessary, laughing to himself when he felt the air around him, the freedom of flight without wings. If there was anything he loved about his powers, it was being able to keep up with the best of them. At least, when he was properly hydrated.

What Deluge didn’t realize was that, due to Invictus’ increased attacks on the city, he’d been neglecting himself and his body’s own needs. If that would be his downfall was yet to be seen.

* * *

Eventually, the young hero stepped foot on the roof of the bank where a brawl was already taking place. Viceroy had been holding their own against Invictus, clones distracting and irritating the villain with taunts and small, nonlethal attacks. The villain himself remained silent and concentrated, his own powers focused on something that _wasn’t_ the flighty hero. Frowning as he stepped forward, Deluge readied a jet of water and sent it in the purple-clad man’s direction, grinning to himself when Viceroy shouted in joy and sent a thumbs up his way.

The villain spluttered and turned his full attention Deluge’s way, still silent but his gaze and body language promising retribution. Faster than he could dodge, a bolt of electricity struck his abdomen and he collapsed forward onto the rough concrete of the roof’s floor, clutching at his stomach with a yelp. There was another jolt that hit his right shoulder and Deluge looked up from the ground to try and focus his blurry vision on Invictus. For the third time, a bolt was sent his way but he swiftly rolled to the right despite his body’s protest as the electricity from the prior attacks continued shocking his system.

“What the hell is that? Leave Deluge alone, he’s just trying to protect the people from you, you cretin!” Viceroy’s voice was steady with an undercurrent of worry and something else when he said his fellow hero’s moniker. The response was nearly too quiet for him to hear beneath the pained gasps that kept slipping past his clenched teeth but he could hear it if he strained his ears.

“You dare call me a cretin when you are the one that left your poor, little waterboy all on his own for years? I have never once injured Deluge to the point of death because at least _he_ is worthy enough to be my equal. You, however, are nothing more than an extra. An unnecessary waste of the powers you wield.”

Deluge murmured words of disagreement but they fell on deaf ears, neither of the other two Supers sparing him a glance. They stood on the rooftop facing one another, Invictus’ stance strong and punctuated with the way his hands glowed an eerie blue as Viceroy stood with their shoulders hunched but hands outstretched, ready for a battle. The aforementioned ‘waterboy’ sat up with difficulty, still gasping for air beneath the mask but not desperate enough to risk his secret identity. If he did, then Invictus would know Deluge was the same civilian that had given him grief and then Patton would be in danger more than he already was.

While he sat there trying to regain his strength and gather his wits about him, Deluge caught the villain’s next words.

“If you think that the electricity was bad, perhaps you should wait until I unveil my next trick!” There was a smugness in those words and as soon as they were spoken, the fallen hero felt his body lift off the ground at the same time that Viceroy screamed “No!”

Confused at the turn of events, Deluge looked at Invictus’ glowing purple hands and then below to see why exactly his friend was so concerned. A faint but noticeable purple glow surrounded his body and as he looked further beyond the glowing, his stomach dropped. He was levitating above the street below, just barely out of reach of the roof’s edge should Invictus decide to end the game and let him fall. Almost immediately, the young man tried to use his powers but to no avail, eyes prickling as his nemesis crooned sarcastically.

“What seems to be the problem? Can’t access your abilities, dear boy? Or perhaps you’ve been so busy protecting the city on your lonesome that you’ve neglected to ensure your own health and wellbeing?”

Biting back a snarky comment that would have surely gotten him killed, the hero hung his head, trying to think of a way out of his predicament without dying. His fellow hero called out encouragement to him, a vow to keep him from dying, and a thinly-veiled threat shot at the villain. There was a commotion and then Deluge was free-falling, the ground rushing closer with each passing second and he tried his powers again with no luck, and then he stopped just a few feet above the hard concrete.

Slowly but surely, Deluge felt himself being lifted again and his shoulders slumped, head bowed in a sign of perceivable submission. He was set back down on the solid ground and collapsed to his hands and knees, feeling the free will return to his body as he did so. Seconds passed as he recovered from his near death before the sound of heels clicking on the concrete caught his attention and he looked up.

Invictus stood before him, standing taller than before with a satisfied look just barely visible in his eyes. Cursing under his breath, the hero tried to stand to his feet, only to be forced back onto his knees by a strong hand that squeezed his shoulder in warning before being removed from his person.

“You must take care of yourself. I may not be so kind to you the next time we meet, do you understand?” Though the tone was mocking in nature, smug and satisfied to boot, there was no mistaking the unspoken command that laid just beneath the surface. Then the man continued as if he’d never said the earlier words, “Should I catch you the next time, I will not hesitate to unmask you. You have powers that could potentially work in tandem with my own and we would both benefit from the partnership.”

Invictus then leaned down, hands on both of the kneeling man’s shoulders as he whispered, “I am not the one that abandoned you. Remember: friends don’t abandon friends.”

One of the hands on his shoulders moved to grasp his chin firmly and directed his attention to an incapacitated Viceroy that laid in a heap over twenty feet away from him. Deluge tried to turn away, not wanting to see, and closed his eyes, hoping that would block the villain out. Alas, the man ignored those reactions and continued to plant seeds of doubt, fear, and insecurity in the hero’s mind.

It was only when Vice groaned and sat up that Invictus released Deluge and flew away from the scene of the crime, but not before leaving his nemesis with a small blank business card and some things to consider.

* * *

The two heroes sat alone in a spot they’d long ago claimed as their own little hideout. At one point it might have been a house but it was long since abandoned and the city hadn’t torn it down at the behest of the historical building association, so it remained abandoned and unused. The walls had graffiti spray-painted all over them, the roof leaked when it rained, and the whole place smelled distinctly of urine and mothballs, but it was just outside the city limits and the safest place for the two heroes to meet.

Sitting with his back against one of the inner walls, Deluge watched Viceroy pace the length of the room, ranting about Invictus as they went. Normally, he might’ve joined in with the rant, adding his two cents now and then, but after the near-death experience and the villain’s words ringing in his head, the younger man was silent.

Eventually, Vice noticed and stopped in front of him, crouching down till they were face-to-face, well, mask-to-mask. “I’m sorry. I…” They trailed off, scooting back and then sitting fully on the ground. “I should have never left you behind, you’ve been taking care of this place on your own and-”

Rolling his eyes behind the mask, he cut them off, “Don’t bother, Vice. You’re back now and that’s what matters.”

The other hero lifted the bottom of their mask and smiled at him, their lips quirking up in a cute little grin that Deluge couldn’t tear his eyes away from. In return, he tapped his hand against the mouth of his mask, sighing in relief as it cracked and fell to the concrete floor where he scooped them up for later disposal. Vice’s smile grew and they reached over and lightly punched him in the shoulder.

“I’m glad to be back in town, kid. I missed you and your dumb ass.” The smile then slipped off their face and changed into a pissed off frown, their jaw clenching at the same time as their fists. Deluge-Virgil sat up ramrod straight, anxiety flooding his veins as his superhero persona faded as the last of the adrenaline of the bank encounter left his body.

He trusted Viceroy before they left but he wasn’t sure just how much he could trust them now. God only knew what they could or would do after being gone for so long. Invictus was right anyway, friends don’t abandon friends.


End file.
